South Australia launches KidSafe Connect to transform child protection systems

The South Australian Government has announced a $14.9 million investment in a new digital initiative designed to modernise the systems that underpin the state’s child protection and family support services.

 

Funded through the Digital Investment Fund, the KidSafe Connect program will replace the Department for Child Protection’s aging Connected Client and Case Management System (C3MS), enhancing how crucial information about children and families is managed, recorded and shared across the service system.

 

Stage one of this multi-year digital and business transformation is scheduled for completion by June 2027, with improvements to existing systems also underway during the transition.

 

A critical response to longstanding recommendations

 

KidSafe Connect responds directly to recommendations made by the Nyland Royal Commission and the Mal Hyde Review, both of which highlighted the need to replace outdated information systems to better support vulnerable children and families.

 

Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard said the investment marks a major step forward in ensuring South Australia’s child protection workforce is supported by the tools it needs to operate effectively and safely.

 

“This critical and ground-breaking project will help ensure that our brilliant workforce has a reliable system in place to help them respond to the complex needs of families, children and young people – now and into the future,” Ms Hildyard said.

 

“KidSafe Connect will improve the process of recording and updating matters, which will enhance efficiency and ultimately help deliver better outcomes for those who need us most.”

 

Listening to frontline voices

 

The development of KidSafe Connect has been shaped by direct feedback from practitioners, who called for a system that better supports their responsibilities and reflects the realities of frontline work.

 

“We have listened to staff who said they need a better solution to record and share information as part of their duties to help keep children and young people safe,” Ms Hildyard said.

 

“This significant investment is part of a detailed, long-term plan to help ensure best-practice systems into the future.”

 

Smarter, safer and more connected

 

Department for Child Protection Chief Executive Jackie Bray said the program is not only about modernising technology but transforming the way services connect and collaborate.

 

“The digital shift in child protection isn’t just about IT. It’s about a smarter, safer, and more connected system for the future,” she said.

 

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape child protection for the better – and we’re committed to getting it right.”

 

A key priority for KidSafe Connect is to reduce administrative complexity, freeing up time for frontline workers to focus on supporting children and families. The program will also explore how new technologies can enhance best practice, streamline workflows and improve interagency collaboration.

 

Better data, stronger decisions

 

Department for Child Protection Acting Regional Director, Central Region, Phillipa Paxton, said KidSafe Connect would enhance both the quality and timeliness of decision-making across the child protection system.

 

“It will help us boost the quality of our assessments by improving the way we manage and store information, so it’s accessible when we need it,” Ms Paxton said.

 

“The project will explore opportunities to streamline the sharing of information and data with our partner agencies, increasing children’s safety and allowing us to make timely decisions to support families.”

 

Complementing recent digital reforms

 

KidSafe Connect builds on a series of recent upgrades to South Australia’s child protection infrastructure, including the launch of eCARL, a new online portal for reporting concerns about a child’s welfare.

 

Funded through a separate $750,000 allocation from the Digital Investment Fund, eCARL complements the state’s Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) by giving professionals and members of the public a digital option for making reports. Early data shows the system is already helping CARL staff answer more calls, more quickly.

 

The Government also recently announced an additional $2 million to increase CARL staffing, with six new roles added to help meet growing demand.

 

Together, these digital and workforce investments reflect a coordinated, future-focused approach to improving the child protection system’s responsiveness, reliability and impact.

 

As the KidSafe Connect program progresses, the Department for Child Protection has pledged to engage regularly with its workforce and partner agencies to ensure the solution developed is practical, user-informed and fit-for-purpose.

 

View the full announcement here.